"I don't like that kid anymore." My father's voice was faintly audible when I walked back in through the front door. I had clicked it quietly and they had not noticed.
"Darling.."
"No, I mean, you shouldn't just say your friends with someone, my son, who is a real catch, might I add-" My mother cut him off.
"What did you say to my parents when we weren't sure?" Wherever my father's train of thought was heading, it was quickly cut off.
"That's not the same. I loved you. I practically worshipped the ground you walked on."
"You told them if I was lucky I would be there after you finished school."
"It was a joke! I proposed a month later." He was defensive, but I knew they wouldn't turn this into a fight. I crept along the steps, heading towards my bedroom.
"I'm only saying, that you can't be 'upset' for a boy keeping you out of the loop when you're his love interests father."
"I'm not upset. I'm only temporarily bothered. I'm a doctor and I have to guess if he's the right kind of influence on my son? Doesn't anyone respect the tie?"
"Edd is our perfect boy. He could drop out of school tomorrow and I'd support him. So you better support him entirely with Kevin. Not to mention, you're not wearing a tie."
"I do support him. I just... I wish we had been here with him. I know how bad that sounds, but I regret leaving him for work, and here comes Kevin only now deciding to give him the opportunity."
"If anything, from the look on the boy's face, he's hoping Edd will give him a chance. I love Eddward, but I don't think we've earned the right to judge his decisions. We haven't been there enough."
"I know." He conceded. He seemed to continue onto another point, but I closed the door to my room. I promptly tossed myself on the soft covers of my bed.
A sigh left my lips. My mind and heart equally raced, my thoughts spinning sporadically. I felt dizzy, a feeling that's been growing more and more prominent over the last few days. One thing remained abundantly clear, Kevin liked me. There wasn't guessing or second-guessing. I could still feel the warmth of his lips on my own, my reminder it wasn't a dream.
My brain began to connect all the dots it couldn't before; his hand holding mine under the table in the cafeteria, his body pressing up against me in my kitchen after his abrupt visit, and even his curiosity with my parents during lunch. Not even Eddy cared enough to ask.
My mind wanted to go down a spiral with the ultimatum I had given him, how unlikely it was for Kevin to become friends with Eddy. I forced my weak mind to relax, remembering his words, the confidence in his tone. In a single moment, he had managed to undo several years of childhood trauma and ignite something deep within me I didn't know otherwise know existed. I missed him already.
Whether it was the kiss or the exhaustion of the day, the spinning in my head grew until I could no longer lift my head from my pillow. I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.